Giethoorn: Netherlands' Venice
Our plan for the day originally was to spend it exploring Hoge Veluwe National Park. I was already a tad alarmed when a couple of locals hadn’t heard of it, and when we drove into it there were no major signs. It ended up being a bust. We didn’t have our hiking shoes and weren’t up for walking aimlessly in the woods all day. Plan B happened: spend more time at the village of Giethoorn rather than rush through it the following day.
The little village was quaint, with Dutch houses and shops lining the canal. Bridges crossed over after every so many feet and a walking path lined one side. Giethoorn is known notoriously as the village with no roads. While this is true, it is very small and easy to get around. There are places to catch a boat every so often if you wish.
We stopped for lunch at a place along the canal and enjoyed the most delicious Zwolle mustard soup. It’s a specialty to the region, and I’d love to try making it at home. It was tangy, like dill pickle soup if you’ve ever tried that.
While the village is out of the way for most, it’s a unique experience that you can’t get in too many places. It’s often compared to Venice, but far less touristy and far more cute.
